Finding Friends

Posted on Tue Feb 14th, 2017 @ 1:43am by Cadet Freshman Grade Claudia Rankin
Edited on on Wed Sep 12th, 2018 @ 6:40pm

Mission: My Place In This Universe
Location: Zulubase
Timeline: 2388/08/12 1700 (August 12 2388 1700)

ON:

As the transport docked with Zulu, Kinsey felt nervous all over again. The star base would have dwarfed the city she grew up in and it made her even more anxious about being in the right places at the correct times and not missing any important information.

"Okay kiddo, here's where we part ways." A young woman in a Starfleet uniform gave the girl a hug. "I'll see you at the Academy." She gave her a reassuring smile. "Just keep your nose clean here. There are officers and others that will help you if you need it."

"Thank you." Kinsey smiled. She hoped she wouldn't be alone for long and she couldn't wait to get to Magellan herself.

Moving toward the crowd, Kinsey looked back to watch the doors of the transporter close severing her contact with the woman.

"Next?" The masculine voice caught her attention and she jumped to face the man.

"What?" She asked.

"Cadet, I need your travel orders and your ID so I can give you your berthing assignment, assign credits and meal cards." Thank goodness the quartermaster was a patient man. He must have his last nerves exposed with so many newly traveled young people.

"Oh, sorry sir. I'm Kinsey Jericho."

"Jericho, Jericho..found you." He grinned. "Your quartered in 743, transient housing for the new cadets heading to the Academy. I've met your roommates." He smirked. "Good luck to you."

He handed Kinsey the same packet he handed each Cadet and gave the same lecture about spending their credits wisely, using their meal card and refraining from the alcohol and clubs that served it. Kinsey reassured the man who almost believed her that she had no intention of visiting anywhere on the station but the mess hall and maybe the gymnasium.

"Well best of luck to you young lady." The quartermaster nodded to her. He instantly liked the girl and hoped the best for her.

Kinsey accepted everything and the good wishes he gave her before moving out of the way. She stared at the LCARS for a moment before giving the verbal request. "Computer can you show me where transient quarters on deck 743 are?"

"Follow the yellow lights." The mechanical female voice instructed.

Seeing the lights on the panels, Kinsey followed them toward her destination and was soon standing outside the door. She heard music inside and chimed the doors.

Claudia looked up from where she was sitting on the floor and went to open the door. She was still feeling a little worse for wear from the mixing of the drinks at the club the night before but she hid it by smiling at the girl in front of her "Hi."

"Hey." Kinsey looked inside nervously. "I was assigned quarters here?" Kinsey was a bit unsure of herself. "Um, I think I'm in the right place." She shrugged meekly.

Grinning Claudia stepped aside "Come on in ... sorry about the state of the rooms ... We saved you the middle bedroom." She remembered how unsure she had felt and added "You a cadet too?"

"Yeah." She smiled and gave a nod. "First time in space alone too." She shrugged again.

"Me too ... Can I help you carry anything?"

"No thanks." She smiled a little more. "I'm nothing if not independent...and scared to death about what comes next." She laughed. "My brother taught me to be independent as I can be." She smiled. "I'm hoping to see him some time."

"Whose your brother?"

"His name is Mathew Jericho and he's a security officer on board the USS Valkyrie. He came out here six months ago with my sister in law Sin." She smiled as she thought about her older brother. We were too far away for a visit but now ...well, here's hoping." she crossed her fingers.

"Wow ... that would be cool." Claudia asked "Are you wanting to go into security too?"

"No, not me." She blushed a bit. Kinsey had a problem with bashfulness and it was pretty obvious. "Sciences, Premed and Exo-biology."

Claudia looked impressed "Wow."

"Just where my ambition lies." Kinsey smiled. "I just wish I wasn't so nervous about the Academy. But my folks are very strict about grades and accomplishments. Oh don't get me wrong, they're very loving and attentive but they do think education is a high priority." She shrugged.

Nodding Claudia admitted, "My parents want me in a 'safe' profession if I'm hell bent on the academy ... I'm ... too restless to want to stay in a lab all the time."

"Oh, I hope to be part of a ship's away team. But this makes everyone happy." She smiled. "Even Matt says I'd make a great Emergency Tech on an away team. I'm great in a crisis. I've never been accused of being restless though. Yeah ... apparently its something I'll have to work on if I want Diplomatic protection ... and I do ... bad enough to come out here to get it. If I had stayed in the Alpha quadrant I would have ended up in pure sciences like my parents wanted."

"Yeah, well. Good luck to you on that." Kinsey liked the girl and couldn't wait to meet her other roommate. "So who's the other transient? Another Fleet cadet?" She asked trying to keep the conversation going as she walked into her room and put her things down. She raised and lowered her voice as she walked back and forth. She was just a little over animated as her nerves were starting to calm down and the reality of everything was sinking in. She was now millions of miles, light years away from home, embarking on an adventure that her parents didn't control and her brother had no say over. She loved them all but needed to do something on her own...if only to prove that she could.

"Yep, Kaitlyn ... she got back from the club after me last night so I let her sleep in ... the rooms are sound proofed." She thought she should explain WHY she didn't wake her with the loud music.

Knocking on Kaitlyns door she called out "Katie?"

When there was no answer, Kinsey looked at the girl. "Guess she didn't make it home?" Kinsey had not met the girl and knew nothing about her so she wasn't sure if she should be concerned or not. She gave a shrug. "Is this something we should look into?" She asked.

Claudia bit her lip looking worried "Maybe? ... It couldn't hurt to ask around right?"

"We could just check with security to be sure." Kinsey nodded.

Nodding in return, Claudia swallowed "Should we ... maybe ask security first? We uh ... we might have sort of snuck into a bar illegally last night."

"Maybe we should just wait to hear from her?" Kinsey asked. "I could use a hot shower and a hot meal after all that traveling. "Where's a good place to get something to eat," She grinned, "Without getting into trouble with anyone's older brother that is."

Claudia nodded "The mess has pretty good food ... or we can try a cafe."

"Mess hall sounds good." Kinsey had no issue with a quiet meal, an early bedtime, and a long sound sleep. "tomorrow we can look around and see what the station has to offer." Kinsey yawned. "I'm going to have a difficult enough time staying awake through dinner.

Grinning at that Claudia admitted she could do with an early night "They have the most amazing dessert bar you've seen." She had decided to stick with sugar highs from now on.

"Well if I have any vice at all, it's dessert." Kinsey smiled as she grabbed her key card. "I'm ready when you are."

Grabbing her own card and pocketing it before getting a jacket Claudia grinned " Ready."

The pair forgot about their roommate and left to get some dinner.

END:

Mackinsey Jericho
Cadet Initiate

Claudia Rankin
Cadet Initiate.